Raleigh, N.C. — Good morning and welcome to Today @NCCapitol for Friday, July 11. Here's what's going on at the state legislature and around state government.

WAS THAT A THREAT? Yes, yes it was.

Budget battle sharpens with veto threat
"I will veto the latest Senate plan or any plan that resembles it because I know of no financial way we can go beyond the House proposal without eliminating thousands of teacher assistants, cutting Medicaid recipients and putting at risk future core state services," Gov. Pat McCrory said in a statement Thursday.

Senate leaders are sticking by their plain to raise teacher salaries by 11 percent next year. McCrory and House leaders say that would require unacceptable cuts to Medicaid and laying off roughly half of the state's teaching assistants in early grades. However, Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger seemed unimpressed by McCrory's veto threat.

"I’m disappointed by the governor’s threat to veto the largest teacher pay raise in state history and surprised by his demand for a budget without cuts to teacher assistants and Medicaid – given that his own budget included almost $20 million in cuts to teacher assistants along with significant, though ultimately unachievable, cuts to Medicaid," Berger said in a statement. "The governor has been unable to sustain any of his previous vetoes in the Senate. It would be more helpful for him to work with members of both chambers of the legislature, since his unwillingness to listen to those who have an honest disagreement with him on spending priorities in favor of staging media stunts and budget gimmicks is a major reason the budget has not been finalized."

House leaders plan to hold a public hearing on their latest budget offer Friday morning, but they'll likely be talking to themselves. Neither Berger nor Senate Budget Chairman Harry Brown plan to attend. (UPDATE: The House canceled its public meeting in favor of a briefing session on its latest offer.)

"Now, Governor McCrory has added another meaningless gesture to their stalemate. The House hasn’t agreed to the Senate budget. So, the Governor is threatening to veto a bill that he knows he will never see," Blue said. "Political theatre didn’t cause our teacher pay crisis; Governor McCrory, Thom Tillis and Phil Berger’s handouts to the wealthy and special interests did. And more empty rhetoric and political theatre now won’t solve this crisis. It’s time for these folks to tone down the bluster, acknowledge their failed priorities and pass a plan that puts teachers and students first."

HOUSE AND SENATE: There are no other legislative committee meetings on the calendar. The House and Senate are next scheduled to hold floor sessions on Monday.

COAL ASH: The Senate on Thursday delayed action on the House version of a bill that would say how and when Duke Energy would have to clean up coal ash pits across the state. This was the latest of several delays, which some had taken as a sign senators were considering concurring with the House plan. "No, absolutely not," Sen. Tom Apodaca, R-Henderson, said when asked if that was the case. The House bill provides less stringent deadlines than the Senate did and changes the makeup of a commission designed to oversee coal ash cleanup.

The measure is now on the Senate's calendar for Monday night.

THE GOVERNOR: McCrory will travel to Nashville, Tenn., for the National Governors Association Summer Meeting on Friday and Saturday.

SaveEnergyManJul 11, 2014

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You are correct and the reality is it isn't even an 11% raise. Its a huge raise to a certain level and then basically no raise for the most seasoned teachers. Its a ploy to destroy gains made in the first 3 grades by doing away with TA's. The researchers that wrote the paper that the SENATE is using to justify this awful mess even states its a bait and switch.

— Posted by juliomercado

The Senate package also does away with longevity bonuses for teachers (most state employees with 10+ yrs in get it too), so the 11% is more like 6% for those with 25+ years.

This is all a political shell game. If it passes, the Senate Republicans strike a dagger into their staunchest opponents - liberal educators. Otherwise, the Senate uses it at election time - "we voted teachers an 11% raise but the Democrats said no, and are against teachers." Never mind the details the illiterate masses (aka the electorate) can't comprehend or don't care about.

It's time to call them out on this political move. We deserve better than politics as usual.

Kenny DunnJul 11, 2014

I sure that veto "threat" has the GA shaking in their boots. Almost comical.

42_wral_mods_suck_i'm_goneJul 11, 2014

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Blue, you are full of it. The democrats controlled the house, senate, and the govenor for so many years it isn't funny and did little or nothing for teachers. The democrats are the problem with teacher pay as the republicans haven't been in control for anywhere near what the democrats had over they years.

— Posted by lec02572

I think you are the one full of it. In 2001, teacher pay in North Carolina was at the national average. Now we are almost dead last. What's changed since 2001? The GOP gaining more and more control in NC.

The GOP are worried about elections so NOW they care about raises for teachers.

bill0Jul 11, 2014

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Blue, you are full of it. The democrats controlled the house, senate, and the govenor for so many years it isn't funny and did little or nothing for teachers. The democrats are the problem with teacher pay as the republicans haven't been in control for anywhere near what the democrats had over they years.

— Posted by lec02572

I know this passes as a "talking point" for the GOP right now, but it doesn't match the facts. The state spent a couple decades where we made raising teacher pay a priority. We went from the bottom of the pack up to average. The recession hit and pay was frozen under democrats. They lost the next election and republicans have controlled the budget for the last 4 years. During that time, we've sunk back to the bottom in teacher pay.

lec02572Jul 11, 2014

Blue, you are full of it. The democrats controlled the house, senate, and the govenor for so many years it isn't funny and did little or nothing for teachers. The democrats are the problem with teacher pay as the republicans haven't been in control for anywhere near what the democrats had over they years.

juliomercadoJul 11, 2014

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An 11% raise in this economy is ridiculous and irresponsible. Yes, a lot of private industry people have also gone with little or not raise for years. Just because you want it and it would be nice doesn't make it right. It has to be paid for somehow.

— Posted by saturn5

You are correct and the reality is it isn't even an 11% raise. Its a huge raise to a certain level and then basically no raise for the most seasoned teachers. Its a ploy to destroy gains made in the first 3 grades by doing away with TA's. The researchers that wrote the paper that the SENATE is using to justify this awful mess even states its a bait and switch.